


LA

by thedark_before_thedawn



Category: Florabella - Fandom, Florence + the Machine
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-13
Updated: 2013-10-13
Packaged: 2017-12-29 08:25:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1003191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedark_before_thedawn/pseuds/thedark_before_thedawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Isa and Florence hit a few bumps when Isa decides to move to LA.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Florence was the first to wake up, she usually was. It was starting to get light outside and she looked over at the time; 8:30. She was supposed to still be in New York for another two days but the tearful phone calls between her and Isa made her get an early flight. She didn’t tell Isa this and she was hoping when Isa woke, and found herself being spooned tightly, she might reward Florence with some “welcome home sex”.

Florence kissed Isa’s neck lightly, not wanting to wake her, but she started to stir.

“Fl…Florence?” She said turning round to look at her.

“Hey beautiful.” She kissed Isa on the lips. “I missed you.”

“I miss you too.” She smiled as she kissed Flo again. “I thought you’re still supposed to be in New York for another two days?”

“I missed you.” Florence shrugged. “I couldn’t go another day.”

Isa’s heart fluttered as she stared into Florence’s glistening green eyes. She moved closer to Florence; wrapping her arms around her girlfriend. “I love you.” She whispered, with her croaky morning voice, as she kissed Florence’s neck.

“How are you?” She asked.

“Much better now you’re home. I have stuff to tell you.” She said nervously as she pulled away from the hug and looked into Florence’s eyes.

“Stuff? What stuff?” She questioned.

Isa took a deep breath; she didn’t know how to say it. She and Florence were finally in a good place, they were comfortable with each other and their life…and Isa was afraid that she was just about to ruin it.

“Well, you know how I’ve been talking to new artists and bands and stuff but they were in LA and I knew that I couldn’t work with them unless I found an apartment out there and lived out there for a while?”

Florence didn’t say anything; afraid of where this was going. She nodded along encouraging Isa to spit out what she was trying to say.

“I bought an apartment.”

There was silence. A part of Florence knew this was coming but she couldn’t help but feel her heart sink as her eyes moved away from Isa’s in case they erupted with tears.

“It’s nothing permanent it’s sort of like just having my own place to stay when I’m out there instead of hotels or Jeremy’s. I know it sounds scary but I promise I’ll only be out there a couple months at a time.”

“A couple months?!” Florence couldn’t help but emphasise the last word. She couldn’t believe how Isa was saying it so casually, like she wasn’t going to miss Flo at all.

“Flo, I know it sounds scary and like a long time but I promise you it will be fine. We can still text and call and you’ve even got the hang of Skype now so we can do that.”

“It’s not the same.”

They were now both sitting, in silence; looking away from each other. They knew even the slightest eye contact would send them both into another day of crying about how much they missed each other.

Isa looked at Florence again.

“Come with me.”

“What?”

“Come with me. Think about it, we can do it. We can use my studio and write when I’m not working with other people and when you get bored there are vintage shops a minute walk away and you can go shopping like you do when we go to the studio over here. There’s a book shop next door and my flat is easily big enough for the both of us and the mountains of clothes you’re sure to buy over there. Just come with me.”

“But-”

“No. No buts. I want you with me. I’m going over to focus on my career for a year before we start properly writing album three but…I don’t want to be entirely selfish. I don’t want to go alone. I don’t want to go without the person I love the most.” Isa moved close to Florence and cupped her face in her small hands. “I don’t want to go without you Florence.” She kissed Flo softly as if she might scare her away until she felt Florence’s lips try to say something against hers. “What did you say?” She asked moving her head back slightly.

“I said yes. I’ll come with you.”

“You will?!”

“Yes! I don’t want to be without the person I love the most either.”

Isa smiled and continued kissing Florence. “I love you so much,” She smiled, “and I think someone deserves some welcome home sex.” She giggled as Florence rolled Isa over and was on top of her.

“I’m way ahead of you.”


	2. Chapter 2

Something was different, not just different but wrong; it was Florence. Isa could tell. She could tell how happy Florence was when Isa asked her to move to LA with her for a while and she could tell how her mood had changed as she realised what that included. Isa wasn’t as close to her family as Florence was. Florence saw Grace practically every day, and even if she didn’t they’d be on the phone for hours, and she only lived ten minutes from her mum’s house. Isa however lived in London miles away from her family who still lived in Aldeburgh and she only called then once a week, if that.  
Isa was sitting on her laptop in Florence’s kitchen, trying to figure out how long they’d be in LA before they came back for a week or two, when Florence walked in.

“Flo, shall we bother booking flights for when we come back for a week or shall we leave it cos we’re going tomorrow and is it a bit early to book them seeing as we’re not back for four months?”

Florence had been looking in the fridge but as soon as Isa said “four months” she slammed it shut.

“Four months?!”

Isa didn’t say anything she just looked at Flo confused.

“You said we’d be out there for a couple months Isa, a couple of months. Couple means two not four!”

“Flo, what are you getting so mad about? It’ll be fine.”

“No Isa. Don’t say “it will be fine” because it won’t. Fair enough you don’t see your family so it doesn’t bother you and you have friends out there but I don’t. My family is here. My sister is here. My friends are here.” Florence didn’t normally get this angry; she normally cried. Isa knew this too so when she started shouting Isa just looked at her trying not to piss her off more. She knew Florence…but this wasn’t her and she had no idea how to handle her.

“Florence, I’m sor-”

“No Isa. Don’t-” She went to walk out the room but Isa stood up and grabbed her arm, spinning Florence around to face her again.

“Flo, I’m trying to say I’m sorry. You can come back whenever you want then.”

“What? So you won’t be coming back with me then?”

“Well, no. I thought we were going to go for four months. That was my plan.”

“You’re plan.” Florence pulled her arm from Isa’s grip. “Why not our plan? You clearly don’t want me with you.”

“Florence, stop! I love you and of course I want you with me but you have to understand this is my career. This is my work. This isn’t me wanting to move to LA for a holiday this is so I can focus on my career more but with you still by my side…or at least that’s what I thought.” Isa had enough. She walked back to her laptop, grabbed it then walked upstairs. “I’m going to pack.” She mumbled over her shoulder as she left Florence standing, now with tears welling in her eyes, by the kitchen. 

* 

The car ride to the airport was quiet; Grace drove them. Isa sat in the front while Florence napped in the back with her legs sprawled out across the seats. Their luggage was taken care of as soon as they arrived, the bonus of being famous, but Isa couldn’t help but feel bad as Flo and Grace said their tearful goodbyes. Did she really want this? Did she really want to be the person to make Florence miserable? She thought about this all the way to the, extremely empty, boarding que.

“Four months of LA…phone bills with Grace are gonna get expensive.” Flo mumbled as they walked towards boarding.

“Wait.” Isa said, stopping still.

Flo turned around to look at her, confused. “What? Did you forget something?”

“No.” Isa said shaking her head, trying to think of how to say what she wanted to. “Don’t…don’t come Florence.”

Florence face went bright red and Isa knew she was about to start crying but this was the only chance she had to say this before their relationship was ruined forever.

“You don’t want to go, you don’t. As much as you say you do, I know you don’t. You want to be here with your sister and that’s fine and I’d rather you would because you’re ruining it for me.”

“I’m ruining it?” Florence exclaimed.

“Yes. You are. I’ve wanted this since I got my first hip hop records and started sampling, you’re only doing this to be closer to me and we’ve not even gotten on the plane yet and you’re already moody…in fact you’ve been moody this whole week. If you stay it will give us time to miss each other. We’d have a better relationship.”

“Relationship? Isa we’re standing in an airport arguing and you’re telling me not to come with you…I think there is no relationship.”

“You know what, you’re right. Have a nice life Flo.” Isa said bitterly as she walked past Florence but she caught her arm to stop her.

“Wait, Isa. Please jus-”

She was cut off by the looked Isa gave her. She shook her head, pulled her arm from Florence’s grasp and walked straight towards the boarding desk. She handed over her ticket and passport and walked straight through the doors towards the plane without looking back and left Florence standing there, crying.


	3. Chapter 3

Five weeks. Five weeks, one day and four hours since they saw each other; since Isa left Florence standing in the airport without looking back. Florence had stayed at her mums with Grace for those 5 weeks. She’d slept in Grace’s bed every night and every night she cried herself to sleep with Grace being able to do nothing more than hug her until she exhausted herself into sleeping.  
Isa had been miserable for those five weeks also. She’d been working with LP but had been ignoring everyone else, breaking down in tears every hour. After being ignored for five weeks Jeremy had had enough; he wanted his best friend who had promised to spend every day with him while she was in LA.

Isa was lying in the foetal position in on her bed with her phone tightly in her hand; Florence hadn’t text Isa and Isa hadn’t text Florence but she couldn’t help but hope. There was a loud banging on the door. Isa groaned and slid off the bed to go see who it was; it was Jeremy. He was standing with bag of food in one hand and bad films in the other.

“What?” Isa groaned; her voice still sleepy and croaky.

“Oh hi to you too. I brought food and films.” He said, walking inside and into Isa’s bedroom. He put the bag and films down on the bed then turned round to Isa. “Come here.” He said as he wrapped his arms around the small blonde. The hug was all it took to make Isa break into tears again.

“I-I’m an… an i-idiot.” She stuttered.

“Shh.” Jeremy moved himself and Isa onto the bed, he lay on his back and Isa put her head on his chest and wrapped her arm round his waist tightly. “You only did what you thought was best. Flo will understand that.” He said as he lightly brushed her hair out of her face.

“She…she hasn’t text me.”

“Well…Isa, to be fair you did tell her not to come with you. I know it’s not what you want to hear but this is for you to fix. You’ve got to be the one to talk first otherwise you’ll never talk again and then you’re fucked.”

Isa didn’t say anything, her sobs started to calm down.

“Isa, promise me you’ll fix this.” He twisted his head round to look at Isa. She wiped the tears off her face and nodded at him. 

*

Five minutes…she was five minutes from Florence’s mum’s house. She text Grace to make sure Florence was still there and Florence was then one to open the door. Grace had been unusually nice to Isa considering that Isa left her sister heartbroken and crying in an airport. She just wanted Flo and Isa to work things out so they could both be happy together again…and so she could have just one night in her own bed without Florence in it crying herself to sleep.

As Isa pulled up outside the house her stomach started fluttering. This could either go amazingly or terribly. She got out the car, walked to the door, took a deep breath and knocked. Florence opened the door, saw Isa and stopped dead still.

“Ok, so, in LA and it’s my dream. It’s been my dream since I was like 16…but I can’t stop crying and I’m working with amazing people and bands but I just feel empty and miserable, like there’s a whole in me and I realised it’s a Florence shaped whole. I shouldn’t have told you not to come to LA because even if you were miserable you would have been there and I wouldn’t have to miss you so much it physically hurts and makes me feel sick. I miss you Flo and I know I can’t stay back here forever, I have to back to LA at some point but I can’t do it without you. We can go to LA for two weeks and come back here for two weeks. Whatever you want to do we’ll do it, I promise. So, will you come to LA with me?” Isa took a deep breath at the end; she’d finally said everything she’s been meaning to for weeks.

She stood waiting…but Florence didn’t say anything back she just stood, staring, trying to take everything in until she opened her mouth and Isa thought she was going to say something. Instead all Isa saw was the door coming closer towards her as Florence slammed it shut it her face.


	4. Chapter 4

Isa stood there. She just stood in disbelief. As she stood there she could hear Grace and Florence arguing. Florence wasn’t quite sure why she slammed the door in Isa’s face but as she turned around Grace was standing there with her arms folded, looking pissed off.  
“What the fuck Florence?”

“Don’t start Gracie I’m no-”

“No Florence! Whatever happens now is just gonna be worse and it’s your turn to fix it now. Fair enough Isa left you but she came to fix it and now you’ve just fucked this up more. Get a grip.” Grace turned to walk away.

“You did this didn’t you?” She asked bitterly. How could her own sister who she trusted go behind her back and talk to the bitch that left her.

“What do you think Flo?” She shouted turning back around to face her now crying sister. “What would you do if your older sister had just spent over five weeks in your bed every night, crying herself to sleep every night? Cause I’m pretty sure you’d get fed up at around the seventh night.”

“W-why didn’t you say anything then?”

“Because who else were you gonna go to that you trusted like that? Sophie has been working day and night for the past year so it’s not like I could send you off to her.”

“You should of said something.” Florence whispered wiping tears from her face.

Grace couldn’t help but feel bad. She’d just made her beyond-heartbroken sister worse.

“Florence you’re my sister, it’s what I’m supposed to do. I’m supposed to put up with having to share a bed when you’re all heartbroken and stuff…I guess I thought I wouldn’t have to deal with that because you had Isa.” Grace looked up at Florence again who, at the mention of Isa, had started bawling her eyes out. “Florence, come here.”

She walked up to her sister and hugged her. Another night of endless crying, nice one Gracie. She thought to herself. As Flo started calming down the front door opened and their mum walked in.

“Erm girls, is Isa ok? I just saw her crying her eyes out as she came down the path and got into her car. Did you have an argue-” She stopped talking as she saw Grace violently shaking her head at her mum who then looked down at Florence and realised that they must have.

Florence, overwhelmed with tears, let go of Grace and ran up the stairs to Grace’s room. Both Evelyn’s and Grace’s eyes followed Florence up the stairs until they heard the door slam.

“What did you do that for?” Grace snapped walking into the kitchen to make some tea for Flo.

“What? I didn’t know. I’ve had no idea what’s happened between those two. Six weeks ago they were their normal self, acting like a frikkin couple, and now Flo’s been in your bed crying herself to sleep every night when I thought she was going to LA with Isa…another couple-like thing.” Evelyn added, her eyebrows meeting together deep in thought.

“That’s because they were mum.”

“What? No, I know they were going to LA bu-”

“No, they were a couple…now I’m not so sure.”

“What do you mean not sure?”

“Isa left Flo at the airport. Flo didn’t seem like she wanted to go so Isa said for her to stay here if it made her happy but then they had an argument and then Isa left, which to be fair she had to because she was going to LA to work, then five weeks later Isa turns up saying she wants Flo back and Flo slams the door in her face.”

Evelyn stood still, taking in everything. She then reached over and picked up Grace’s phone.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m telling Isa to come round in the morning and not leave until they are happy again….or you can give your sister a lift to Isa’s now, they are fixing this” 

*

Isa sat in her car. She couldn’t stop crying. Luckily she had hardly put on any eyeliner today but there were still streaks running down her face. She turned on the engine and drove as fast as she could back to her flat in Chrystal Palace. She turned on the radio, hoping it would drown out her thoughts. She pressed Radio 1, the only station her stupid car radio would pick up, and almost crashed the car in disbelief at what was playing; Cosmic fucking Love.

“Gimme a fucking break!” Isa shouted as she slammed her hand on the radio, turning it off but possibly breaking it at the same time.

She pulled up, grabbed her things and ran inside. She was glad she hadn’t sold this flat yet…it still felt like home. She dumped her things in her extremely empty room and ran straight to her bathroom stripping her clothes off at the same time. She turned the shower on and stepped straight in forgetting it goes hot and cold before the right temperature.

She stood under the water, letting it run over her. She now knew what Flo meant about water but as she stood there after at least ten minutes she heard her door slam.

“What the fuck?” She whispered poking her head round the shower curtain. “Hello?” She called out but as she did she saw a tall figure walking into the bathroom. It was Florence. “How di-”

But before she could finish the question Flo held up the key Isa gave her when they were together. Isa stood staring at Flo trying to think of what to say but before she could gather her words together Florence started.

“You know, you can’t just turn up after five weeks and expect me to say “yes” immediately Isa. You were the one who left me ok? You left me.” She emphasised each of those three last words, stabbing Isa with the words.

“You didn’t come after me.” Isa whispered as she turned off the shower and reached her hand out for Flo to pass her a towel.

“What? Don’t whisper stuff.” Florence snapped as she handed Isa the towel.

“I said,” she wrapped the towel around her and stepped out the shower, standing right in front of Florence, looking her in the eyes, “you didn’t come after me.” She paused waiting for Florence to shout something back, but when she didn’t she continued on. “You know what Florence? If you really loved me and wanted to be with me you should’ve come after me because that’s what supportive girlfriends do, they support each other. I couldn’t stay here Florence and you knew that, I was going out to LA because I had work lined up and I couldn’t blow it off but if you really loved me you would’ve proved me wrong and followed me and at least acted like you wanted to come with me.”

“You told me not to come with you! And after what? One week of me being moody? God Isa, you act like this is all my fault but the fact is you were the one who left me.”

“YOU SAID WE WEREN’T TOGETHER. THAT WAS YOU. AND I CAME TO FIX IT BUT SLAMMED THE DOOR IN FACE!” She shouted, pushing past Florence to walk to her room.

“What was I supposed to do? Welcome you back into my arms and then say goodbye again in a couple of days?”

“No, you let me inside to talk and to work things out.”

They stood staring at each other in frustration. Tears started silently rolling down Flo’s face which was all it took for Isa to start crying but not so silently. She walked over to her bed and sat down on the edge, still in her towel, and put her head in her hands.

“What are we going to do?” She questioned, in between sobs.

Florence walked to Isa’s wardrobe and pulled out one of the t-shirts she normally slept in. She walked back to Isa, gently pulled her arms down, pulled the towel off and put the t-shirt on Isa. She knelt in front of her and stared into her eyes.

“We’re gonna work this out, ok?” She said wiping tears off Isa’s cheeks.

Isa nodded and then pulled Florence onto the bed with her. Isa was normally the big spoon but tonight it was Florence’s turn. Florence had already fallen asleep but Isa couldn’t. The only thought going round in her head was that she was supposed to back to LA…tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

Florence moved her sleepy eyes round the room, this wasn’t her room… it was Isa’s. She rolled over to wrap her arms round the small blonde but her arms fell straight to the mattress. She wasn’t there. She sat up, panicked by the absence of her girlfriend until she could hear her talking quietly. She was on the phone standing outside the room, Florence listened and she could make out most of it.  
“…I know. I’m sorry it’s just that I need to stay here for now…I will be back, don’t worry but just not now…yes I cancelled my flights this morning…ok, well I’ll call you next week or something. I am really sorry. Bye.”

Isa hung up and came back into her bedroom, tip-toeing, thinking Florence was still asleep. She closed the door quietly behind her, turned round and let out a small squeal. Florence was still sitting upright on the bed.

“Florence, you made me jump.” She said clutching her chest. “Are you ok?”

“Don’t cancel everything Isa.” She said, ignoring Isa’s question.

“What?”

“Don’t cancel everything that you’ve worked for and wanted for years just because of me.” Her eyes welled up as she said the last few words.

Isa stood staring at her. Her heart sunk. It wasn’t just because Florence was finding it hard to cope without Isa, it was mainly Isa. She couldn’t work when she was crying all the time because her girlfriend was halfway across the globe. She was doing this for herself.

Isa crossed the room and climbed onto the bed where Florence was. She wrapped her arm round her then gently lay her down on the bed. She resumed her big spoon position and rest her head on Florence shoulder.

“Flo, I don’t have to leave. Everything that I have and love is right here. I don’t ever have to leave, ok?”

Flo started crying as a wave of guilt crashed over her. “No, Isa. This was your dream don’t ju-”

“Flo, this is my dream. Right here. This is what I want more than anything; you.”  
Florence turned around in the bed to face Isa. Green eyes gazing into blue.

“I can’t do this to you Isa.”

“And you’re not. This is me. When I was in LA I was crying every hour; I can’t work like that. I need to make this, us, right again before I think of LA.”

“You need to go back Isa, it’s your career.”

“Well, it can wait till the new year. I know it’s not long away but we can spend till then together, every minute of every day because I love you.”

“I love you too.” Flo said with a small smile.

Isa brushed the tears off Flo’s face with her thumb and then leaned forward. Her lips met Florence’s and they moved together in perfect sync. Their lips moved softly together until their lungs were empty. Isa pulled her lips back slightly to speak but Florence kept moving her lips back to them.

“Flo,” their lips locked again, “Flo!”

Florence moved her head back slightly, Isa took a deep breath, kissed her lightly again then stared into her eyes.

“Marry me.”


End file.
